Save The Music Foundation

SAVE THE MUSIC FOUNDATION MISSION IS TO HELP STUDENTS, SCHOOLS, AND COMMUNITIES REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL THROUGH THE POWER OF MAKING MUSIC.

STM IS A 501(C)(3) NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO CREATING SYSTEMIC CHANGE IN THE AMERICAN PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM BY GROWING INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC PROGRAMS AND BY RAISING PUBLIC AWARENESS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF MUSIC EDUCATION. STM WAS CREATED TO ADDRESS THE LACK OF AVAILABILITY OF MUSIC EDUCATION FOR STUDENTS IN MANY COMMUNITIES IN THE U.S. FOR OVER 25 YEARS, SAVE THE MUSIC (STM) HAS ADDRESSED SYSTEMIC INEQUITIES IN MUSIC EDUCATION BY INVESTING IN CULTURALLY RICH COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE US AND THE UK. SINCE ITS INCEPTION, STM HAS DONATED OVER $75M WORTH OF INSTRUMENTS AND TECHNOLOGY TO OVER 2,700 SCHOOLS - IMPACTING MILLIONS OF STUDENTS' LIVES. STM VALUES MUSIC AS A CRITICAL LEARNING TOOL THAT KEEPS STUDENTS ENGAGED IN SCHOOL, HELPS DEVELOP WELL-ROUNDED INDIVIDUALS, AND ENCOURAGES SKILLS THAT ARE VITAL FOR SUCCESS IN THE 21ST CENTURY. PROGRAM STAFF MEMBERS FROM STM WORK CLOSELY WITH SUPERINTENDENTS, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, PRINCIPALS, ARTS COORDINATORS, AND MUSIC EDUCATORS IN EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT TO IDENTIFY SCHOOLS THAT ARE ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE. STM WORKS WITH LOCAL POLICYMAKERS AND ADVOCATES TO HELP ENSURE SCHOOLS THAT ARE NOT CURRENTLY ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE FOUNDATION'S RESTORATION OF MUSIC EDUCATION PROGRAMS TAKE THE STEPS NEEDED TO BECOME ELIGIBLE. STM WORKS TO ENABLE EVERY SCHOOL WITHIN THE DISTRICT TO HAVE ACCESS TO MUSIC EDUCATION. THE FOUNDATION EXPANDS ITS REACH IN SERVING ALL PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS PRE-KINDERGARTEN THROUGH THE 12TH GRADE.STM HAS DEVELOPED A UNIQUE MODEL TO FOSTER EQUITABLE ACCESS TO COMPREHENSIVE MUSIC EDUCATION FOR ALL CHILDREN. THROUGH STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS WITH SCHOOL DISTRICTS, THE FOUNDATION PROVIDES BRAND-NEW MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, EQUIPMENT, TECHNOLOGY, METHOD BOOKS, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AND PROGRAM SUPPORT TO PUBLIC ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE, AND HIGH SCHOOLS, JUMP-STARTING DORMANT MUSIC PROGRAMS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT MUSIC PROGRAMS REMAIN A CORE PART OF THE CURRICULUM IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AND THAT THE PROGRAMS LIVE ON IN PERPETUITY, STM WORKS WITH SCHOOLS THAT HAVE AGREED TO IMPLEMENT A SEQUENTIAL INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC PROGRAM BASED ON LOCAL, STATE, AND NATIONAL STANDARDS FOR MUSIC EDUCATION.GRANT OFFERINGS & SCHOOLS SERVEDSTM OFFERS SIX DIFFERENT GRANT PACKAGES TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS BASED ON GRADE LEVEL, NEED, AND THE SCHOOL'S MUSIC PROGRAM GOALS. THE GRANT PACKAGES ARE DECIDED UPON WITH THE INPUT OF DISTRICT ADMINISTRATORS, SCHOOL LEADERS, AND THE FOUNDATION'S PROGRAM STAFF. A SCHOOL MUST MAKE THE COMMITMENT TO CONDUCT THEIR INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC PROGRAM AS PART OF THE REGULAR SCHOOL DAY, PROVIDE A DESIGNATED SPACE FOR MUSIC INSTRUCTION AND INSTRUMENT STORAGE, AND COMMIT TO HIRING A FULL-TIME, CERTIFIED MUSIC EDUCATOR. BY GUARANTEEING THAT EACH GRANT RECIPIENT SCHOOL FULFILLS THE SCHEDULE, SPACE, AND STAFF REQUIREMENTS, STM FOSTERS A SUSTAINABLE MUSIC PROGRAM. IN THE 2023 FISCAL YEAR, STM DELIVERED GRANT PACKAGES (CORE, INTRO TO MUSIC, J DILLA MUSIC TECH, J DILLA JR. MUSIC TECH, SAVE THE MUSIC + HOMETOWN TO HOMETOWN MUSIC TECH, AND KEYS + KIDS) TO 160 SCHOOLS, TOTALING MORE THAN 28,000 MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS AND PIECES OF MUSICAL EQUIPMENT, IN 48 SCHOOL DISTRICTS (LISTED BELOW) ACROSS 15 STATES. THESE GRANTS IMPACTED MORE THAN 102,500 STUDENTS AND MUSIC EDUCATORS BY INCREASING THEIR ACCESS TO QUALITY MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, INSTRUCTIONAL BOOKS, EQUIPMENT, TECHNOLOGY, AND RESOURCES. MORE INFORMATION ABOUT EACH GRANT PACKAGE FOLLOW.48 SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT RECEIVED GRANT PACKAGES IN FISCAL YEAR 2023 (PLEASE SEE SCHEDULE I FOR LIST OF 48 SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT RECEIVED GRANTS IN 2023).CORE GRANT:THE CORE GRANT IN THE FORM OF BAND, STRING, OR MARIACHI HAS BEEN THE CORNERSTONE GRANT THAT STM PROVIDES TO SCHOOL GRANT RECIPIENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. EACH CORE GRANT IS VALUED AT APPROXIMATELY $50,000 AND JUMP-STARTS A NEW INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC PROGRAM AT A SCHOOL. THE CORE BAND GRANT INCLUDES 36 MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS - WOODWIND, BRASS, AND PERCUSSION. THE STRING GRANT INCLUDES UP TO 38 STRING INSTRUMENTS - VIOLINS, VIOLAS, CELLOS, AND BASSES. THE MARIACHI GRANT INCLUDES 36 MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS - BRASS AND STRING INSTRUMENTS, BOTH FRETTED AND UNFRETTED, AS WELL AS MARIACHI BOWTIE AND BELTS. ALL CORE GRANTS INCLUDE MUSIC STANDS, INSTRUCTIONAL METHOD BOOKS, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SUPPORT FOR MUSIC TEACHERS, AND FOUNDATION PROGRAM SUPPORT FOR 10 YEARS. IN FISCAL YEAR 2023, STM DELIVERED 33 CORE BAND GRANT PACKAGES, 10 CORE STRINGS GRANT PACKAGES, AND 10 CORE MARIACHI GRANT PACKAGES, IMPACTING MORE THAN 37,500 STUDENTS AND MUSIC EDUCATORS.INTRO TO MUSIC GRANT:THE INTRO TO MUSIC GRANT WAS DEVELOPED IN 2018 AND INCLUDES EVERYTHING A MUSIC TEACHER NEEDS TO PROVIDE ELEMENTARY STUDENTS PRE-KINDERGARTEN THROUGH GRADE 5 WITH SEQUENTIAL, STANDARDS-BASED GENERAL MUSIC INSTRUCTION FOCUSED ON ACTIVE MUSIC-MAKING AND ENGAGEMENT. THE GRANT IS VALUED AT APPROXIMATELY $18,000, INCLUDING DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE AND CULTURALLY RELEVANT INSTRUMENTS AND RESOURCES: DIGITAL PIANO, ACOUSTIC GUITAR, ORFF INSTRUMENTS, WORLD DRUMS, RECORDERS, HAND-HELD PERCUSSION, BOOMWHACKERS, A CLASSROOM SET OF UKULELES, INSTRUCTIONAL METHOD BOOKS, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SUPPORT FOR MUSIC TEACHERS, AND STM PROGRAM SUPPORT FOR 10 YEARS. IN FISCAL YEAR 2023, THE FOUNDATION DELIVERED 72 INTRO TO MUSIC GRANT PACKAGES, IMPACTING MORE THAN 31,000 STUDENTS AND MUSIC EDUCATORS.J DILLA MUSIC TECH GRANT:THE J DILLA MUSIC TECH GRANT WAS DEVELOPED IN 2018 AND FOCUSES ON DELIVERING THE FUTURE OF MUSIC LEARNING THROUGH INNOVATIVE MUSIC TECH TOOLS AND CURRICULUM FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. OUR GOAL IS TO BRING OUT STUDENTS' INNER CREATIVITY, TALENT, AND CONFIDENCE BY TEACHING THE FUNDAMENTALS OF ELECTRONIC MUSIC CREATION, RECORDING, AND PRODUCTION. IN 2019, THE MUSIC TECH GRANT WAS NAMED AFTER THE LATE, INFLUENTIAL INDUSTRY RAPPER AND HIP-HOP RECORD PRODUCER J DILLA. THE GRANT IS VALUED AT APPROXIMATELY $62,000, WHICH INCLUDES HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE TO SUPPORT INSTRUCTION IN AUDIO RECORDING, AUDIO ENGINEERING, DJ-ING, BEAT-MAKING, ALONG WITH IN-DEPTH TRAINING FOR MUSIC TEACHERS, INCLUDING A ONE-ON-ONE MENTORSHIP WITH A LOCAL MUSIC EDUCATION COMMUNITY PARTNER AND STM PROGRAM SUPPORT FOR 10 YEARS. IN FISCAL YEAR 2023, THE FOUNDATION DELIVERED 18 J DILLA MUSIC TECH GRANT PACKAGES, IMPACTING MORE THAN 16,500 STUDENTS AND MUSIC EDUCATORS.